LEADING building society Nationwide has said that it intends to keep its Woodley and Wokingham branches open until at least May 2021.
And company bosses said that its bold commitment is part of its push to urge businesses to rediscover their role in the community at a difficult time for the nation.
Nationwide, which has around 650 branches, has committed to not leave any town or city in which it is currently based without a branch for at least two years.
It hopes that the assurance will give consumers confidence that their local shopping centres will not be left branchless. It has been made as far ahead in the future as is possible given Nationwide’s scale and the fact it is not immune to major shifts in consumer behaviour.
Joe Garner, Chief Executive of Nationwide Building Society, said: “Healthy high streets are vital in keeping local communities alive.
“They are a major part of our history and identity – a space where we come together. But in many cases they have become almost uniquely transactional, despite consumer behaviour highlighting that people increasingly want to relax and enjoy themselves when out shopping.
“We need to rediscover the sense of belonging that has served communities for centuries and as businesses we need to open our doors to people and not just customers.
“It’s not good enough that we succumb to the perceived inevitable and watch our local shopping centres fade away. We owe it to our communities to make ourselves relevant again.”
